CHICK, D.D. 



the edge of Christmas-tree Land, that he would never 

 forget them even when he should become a man. He 

 would always remember the snowshoe tramps across 

 the meadow; and in after years, when his shoulders 

 held burdens he could not see, he would remember the 

 bulky load he carried that morning without minding 

 the weight a bit; for it was a big bag full of Christmas 

 gifts, and the more heavily it pressed against his shoul- 

 der, the lighter his heart felt. 



When he reached the orchard, he dropped the bag on 

 the snow and opened it. Part of the gifts he spilled in 

 a heap near the foot of a tree, and the rest he tied here 

 and there to the branches. Then he stood still and whis- 

 tled a clear sweet note that sounded like ^^ Fee-bee.^' 



Now, Chick, over by the willows had not known 

 what BoooooooM meant, for that was not in his 

 language. But he understood ^^ Fee-bee" in a minute, 

 although it was not nearly so loud. For those were 

 words he often used himself. They meant, perhaps, 

 many things; but always something pleasant. '^ Fee- 

 bee '^ was a call he recognized as surely as one boy 

 recognizes the signal whistle of his chum. 



So, of course. Chick flew to the orchard as quickly as 

 he could and found his present tied fast to a branch. The 

 smell of it, the feel of it, the taste of it, set him wild with 

 joy. He picked at it with his head up, and sang ^^ Chick, 



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